Mowing-machine



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. M. LETTS.

Mom/'ING MAUHINE. No. 412,104, Patented Oct. 1 1889.

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E. M, LE'TTS.

MOWING MACHINE.

No. 412,104. Patented 001;. 1V, 1889.

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ELLSVORTH M. LE'ITS, OF VAVERLY, NEW' YORK.

MOWINGfMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters )Patent No. 412,104, dated October l, 1889.

Application filed August 9, 1888. Serial No. 282,386. (No model.)

.To alZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ELLsWonTH M. Lnrrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waverly,in the county of Tioga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improveinentsin Mowingdvlachinesand Lawn- Mowers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afnll, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to mowing-machines, and more especially to lawn-mowers; audit consists in certain details of construction and novel arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more particularly described,illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the ordinary lawn-mowers as heretofore constructed a difficulty has been experienced in mowing close up to a Wall or obstruction or beneath brush or shrubbery. My invention is designed to in a measure obviate this diniculty.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 8 is a rear end view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the pitman. Fig. 5 is a Vplan view of a section of the cutter-bar. Fig'. 6 is a detail vertical section through the entire cutting mechanism, showing the relative positions of the several parts. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section through one of the movable cutter-blades, and also through one of the teeth of the stationary cutter-plate, when the former is immediately beneath the latter, for the purpose of showing the relative position of the beveled edges. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the ratchethousiug, showing the ratchet in section, and the spring-controlled pawl. Fig. 9 is a detail side view of the housing and ratchet.

The objects of my invention are to provide in a lawn-mower a double set of knives or cutters, one set of which is stationary and the other rapidly reciprocated by the driving mechanism; also, to provide a cutting-front equal in length to the Width of the machine and to convey a great velocity to the reciprocating cutters.

Referring more particularly to the drawings by letter, A designates the main frame of the machine, which consists of a somewhat cresh cent-shaped platform A', with downward pro- Jectlons A2 at each. end, from `which project outwardly short spindles or shafts o, upon Which the drive-Wh eels B are mounted. From the front of these downward projections A2 extend forwardly and downwardly the out- `Wardly-curved arms C, which are connected `near their outer ends bythe transverse bar D, to which the fingers are secured. Upon the top of the cresccnt-shaped platform are secured by bolts g2 the bracketbcarings g', through which is journaled the shaft J.

H are the pinions loosely mounted on the outer ends of the pinion-shaft, and which mesh with the gears i on the inner sides of the main Wheels.

k arev ratchets rigidly secured to or made integral With'the pinion-shaft adjacent to the pinions, and j is a sleeve or spool-shaped housing surrounding and inclosing the ratchet and rigidly fixed to the inner face of the pinion. Between the rims or annular flanges fixed on each end of this housing is pivoted a pavvl 7n, which projects through an opening 7f3 in the housing and engages the ratchet. rlhis paWl is controlled by a spring 7a2, secured between the, anges of the spool, as shown in Fig. 8.

K is a vertically-arranged beveled gear in the center of pinion-shaft J, and is considerably larger than the pini ons at the end of the shaft.

M is a vertical shaft having its upper end journaled in a rearwardly-entending bracket m secured to the top and projecting from the center o f the platform A', and its lower end is journaled in a similar bracket o secured beneath the platform, and which is provided with an 'adjustable cup-bearing n to lessen friction.

l L is a beveled pinion keyed on the vertical shaft M, and which meshes with the beveled gear K on shaft J. N is a fly-Wheel located centrally upon the vertical shaft, and lis a crank beneath the iiy-Wheel.

O isl a pitman engaging at one end with the crank l, and at its opposite end with the lever P, pivotally connected to one arm C of the frame, as at p, and having its outer end inserted between the lugs q of the cutter-bar F. I prefer to place the pivot p of the lever beyond its middle ton/ard its front end, so

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that less power is required to reciprocate the cutter-bar.

The pitman O is made in two sections connect-ed by the screw-bolt r, so that its length may be adj usted to regulate the throw of the cutter-bar.

The finger-bar E is provided at its rear with a channel a, in which the rear end of the cutter-bar F reciprocates, and each finger with a transverse channel a beneath the cutter-blades, in order to enable it to be readily cleared by the reciprocating motion of the knives of dirt or other fine material that Would otherwise foul and obstruct the free motion of the knives by getting beneath them.

Gis a plate preferably of steel bolted to the finger-bar in rear of the cutter-bar F and extending forward over it, as shown in Figs. l and 2. This plate is provided with teeth c, which extend forward over the knives or blades b of the cutter-bar F and have their points seated in notches d in the fingers E. The knives or blades b of the cutter-bar are beveled at their edges upward and outward, and the teeth c of the plate G are beveled in an opposite direction or downward and outward, as shown in cross-section, Fig. 7,whereb y a shear cut is afforded as the edges pass eachother, when the cutter-bar is reciprocated.

It is obvious that by removing the bolts e, which unite the finger bar and plate with the arms C, the parts may be easily removed for the purpose of sharpening the cutting-edges.

To render the front part of the machine vertically adjustable, so that it may be regulated to out grass at any length, l provide wheels H, journaled at the bottom of slotted standards f, which are secured to the arms C of the frame in rear of the cutter-bar by set- It will be observed that the position of these wheels beingin rear of the outer ends of the finger-bar do not prevent theends of said bar from passing close up to a wall or other obstruct-ion during the operation of cutting, as is the case with lawn-mowers, where the wheels are on a line beyond the ends of the cutter.

l represents the handle of my machine, whichr is provided at its front end with a fork i', curved so that its ends will project over the pinion-shaft and down to the ears g on the rear end of the side arms C of the frame, to which ears they are pivotally connected.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The operator seizes the handle and propels the machine forward, when the pinion-shaft is rapidly rotated by means of the drivewheels operating upon the pinions, which in turn operate upon the fixed ratchet by means of the spring-controlled dog or pawl, and the large bevel-wheel K, meshing with the beveled pinion L upon the vertical crank-shaft M, causes the latter to revolve rapidly, its momentum being increased and maintained by the iiy-wheel N, the rapid reciprocating motion is communicated to the cutter-bar through the pitman Ov and pivoted lever P, and by means of the momentum imparted to the crankshaft by the fly-wheel the reciprocating motion of the cutters is maintained during the temporary stoppage or backward movement of the machine for the purpose ofV commencing a new forward cut, the ratchet and pawl permitting the direction of the pinions to be meantime reversed without interfering with the rotation of the pinion-shaft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The combination, in a mowing-machine, of the fixed shear-plate rigidly secured tothe linger-bar and provided with teeth having downwardly and outwardly beveled edges and their points seated in notches in the points of the fingers, the reciprocating cutter-bar located beneath the fixed shear-plate, the teeth of which have upwardly and outwardly beveled edges, and the fingers provided with the open clearing-channel beneath the teeth or blades of the cutter-bar, substantially as described.

2. In a lawn-mower, the main frame constructed as described, having the upper and lower rearwardly-extendin g brackets fml o, the lower one of which is provided with the adj ustable cup-bearing, in 'combination with the vertical crank-shaft having the fly-wheel thereon, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a lawn-mower, the combination of the main frame, the drive-wheels, the pinionshaft mounted in brackets on the main frame and provided with the vertical bevel-wheel in its center and the fixed ratchets near its ends, the pinions loosely mounted on the ends of the pinion-shaft and provided with ratchethousings containingthe spring-controlled dog, the vertical crank-shaft mounted in brackets secured to the main frame, the lower one of which is provided with an adjustable cupbearing, the fly-wheel mounted on the vertical IOO IIO

shaft, the adjustable pitman, and the pivoted lever actuating the sickle-bar, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLSVORTH M. LETTS.

Vitnesses:

ALEX. D. STEVENS, J. W. ADAMS. 

